Upcoming farewell and laughing stars

I write this text with mixed feelings.

My volunteer work at the Paul-Gerhradt Kita has lasted six months and is now coming to an end. My farewell is imminent. Only a little more than 2 weeks remain for me in the daycare center of my home community. In the last few days I often had to think about the fact that I will leave soon. That it is time to say goodbye after 6 months. And although I knew that my voluntary service would end on 19.02.2021, the day is coming close faster than I thought. And with every day that passes, it becomes more and more of a reality.

The thought of it makes me sad, because even though many things were not easy, I was faced with many challenges and felt overwhelmed more than once, I really enjoyed my time there. I enjoy learning, spending time with the children and supporting the teachers as much as I can; as best I can.

The thought of saying goodbye also makes me sad, because it may well be that we will continue to be in emergency care there and I will not see some children before and on that day.

But most of all, I am grateful for the time I was able to spend at the daycare. That I was able to gain experience and that I often went home filled with feelings of joy. Filled with the energy of the children. From their laughter, their imagination, their questions, their curiosity. By their imagination, their questions, their curiosity.

There are many experiences I like to look back on and reminisce about. To tell you about a few of these experiences:

One day I was at the two swings in our daycare playground; I made sure that the children took turns and helped with a push to get the swinging going. One child had been waiting for a while to be able to swing, but when it was his turn, a child grabbed the swing away from him. snatched the swing away from him when it was his turn. I asked the child if it was okay with him since he had been waiting longer. Yes, it was! Otherwise the other child wouldn't be able to swing after all!

And he waited patiently until he could then swing.

Another time, I watched a girl and a boy go outside to look for animals: Beetles, earthworms, woodlice, snails. Everything that could be found was collected. They carefully took the animals and put them in a box with holes in the lid and collected leaves, grass, soil and stones to give the animals a nice home.

And once when I was outside on the playground with some children, a girl led me purposefully to the slide and showed me at the top that she wanted to slide with me.

And we did that a few times after that :)

And now, shortly before I leave, I am using the time all the more to enjoy the time with the children and to talk to my colleagues.

I collect the pictures that the children have drawn for me and add their names to them. And later, when I look at them again, I will think back on my unexpected, but all the more wonderful time and remember the experiences I had with the children.

And then, after my volunteer service is over, I don't want to lose the child in me, but to feel it. And let it out. I want to be curious, to ask questions and to hear the laughter of the Little Prince in the stars.